Pura Vida Ministries

Guatemala Work Trip Update

12/20/2021

by Mark Ely

As we close out 2021, I wanted to share with you our thoughts on resuming in-person work trips to Guatemala. Specifically, this is a review of the current situation and recommendations from the key decision-makers, Asociación Pura Vida (our local NGO in Guatemala), and the board of directors of Pura Vida Ministries.

Highlights:

At least in some areas of Guatemala, the infection rates are dropping
Vaccination rates in urban areas are increasing
The government is hopeful that schools will upgrade to a hybrid in-person/virtual schedule in 2022
Older residents in rural areas are still resistant to the idea of vaccination

On one hand, there are organizations which sent teams even at the height of the pandemic. On the other hand, some well-regarded organizations including Compassion International and World Vision have not yet restarted trips. Having worked for Compassion International myself, I can vouch for their Christ-centered, child-focused approach.

Do no harm

So what’s the hold up? For us it boils down to a basic risk/benefit analysis. The benefits of sending a team to Guatemala should outweigh the risks. And our top priority is to do no harm.

Another factor is self-determination. We feel that it’s important that our local staff determine when it is appropriate for us to return. Unlike a volunteer surgical or dental team, our work does not require us to be there in-person, so the pressure to resume trips is lower for us.

Our local staff in Guatemala is the reason we’ve been able to get all of our work done without anyone having to travel from the U.S. In 2021 we built a record number of 5 homes, using only local labor. Local Guatemalans are our hands and feet right now.

We understand that sponsors would love to reconnect with their students in person. What a great testament to the power of the relationships created through our programs! We hope to make these visits happen soon, once they can be done safely.

Current risks to resuming trips

1. Risk of infecting the vulnerable population we serve

The Guatemalan government has been pushing vaccination, but many older rural residents are distrustful. This is due mainly to widespread disinformation and a general lack of confidence in the government. Although younger family members are more open to the idea, our staff does not expect a high vaccination rate among the older rural population.
The population in the areas where we work often suffer from the following preconditions which make a COVID infection more dangerous:
- Malnutrition
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Respiratory disease due to smoke inhalation
According to the CDC and the Mayo Clinic, even fully vaccinated travelers could be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants [ 1 ] [ 2 ]

2. Increased risk to team members

Difficulty in evacuating sick or injured team members to the U.S. if the required COVID test is not passed
Possibility of team members having to quarantine in Guatemala if they test positive prior to returning home. Here are the latest U.S. re-entry requirements from the CDC:
Starting on December 6, air travelers aged two and older, regardless of nationality or vaccination status, are required to show documentation of a negative viral test result taken within one day of the flight’s departure to the United States before boarding. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals. [ 3 ]

I am hoping to finally travel to Guatemala in early 2022 to check on things before bringing groups into a potentially tricky situation. It’s been two years since I’ve met with our local staff in person. We're also curious as to what tourist/travel infrastructure has survived the pandemic. When work trips resume, they may look very different than those of the past.

We will let you know when we get the go-ahead. Thanks for your patience.

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COVID-19 Update - August, 2021

8/13/2021

by Mark Ely

Guatemala is currently experiencing one of the strongest waves of COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic. The government is reporting over 4,000 new cases per day. Hospitals are filling up, and some say that they could soon stop receiving all types of patients due to this situation.

Most of the country is now in red alert status, which carries significant restrictions on travel, commerce, and other activities. For us, one of the most important restrictions is in the area of education. In-person classes are not permitted in areas under red alert status.

COVID-19 Alert status in Guatemala

State of Emergency Declared

In a speech on August 13th, the president of Guatemala declared a state of emergency for 30 days due to a rebound in cases attributed to the “more aggressive” Delta variant. Impacts include:

Nationwide curfew from 10 PM to 4 AM
Unspecified restrictions on large gatherings
Surveillance of borders, ports, and airports by the Guatemalan military
Full list of restrictions

Vaccination Schedule

Guatemala is significantly behind the rest of Latin America in vaccination rates. The overall vaccination rate is currently 2.4%. Guatemala recently received from the United States 36 million doses of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Prior to that, Guatemala had a contract for the delivery of 16 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines, but those have been badly delayed, prompting some officials to talk about asking for a refund from Russia.

Guatemalans age 30 and older can now register for vaccination. Long wait times are common, and there are reports of people lining up at vaccination sites by 11 p.m. to get vaccinated the next day.

As of August 11, 2021

Program Impacts

Classes are once again virtual this year for areas under red alert status, which is currently most of the country. We are seeing increased numbers of students dropping out. The main reasons are dissatisfaction with remote schooling, and the need for extra family income during these challenging times. Families of our scholarship students often work in the informal economy which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

It is unlikely that Pura Vida will be scheduling any trips to Guatemala for the remainder of 2021. Even with a fully vaccinated team, there is still the possibility of transmitting the virus to the largely unvaccinated population we work with.

We are hopeful of scheduling in-person teams again in 2022, but that depends on many factors beyond our control. In the meantime, we are planning on offering more virtual work trips as a way to get work done without us being there.

COVID-19 Pandemic update

5/21/2021

by Mark Ely

As I write this, Guatemala is still experiencing very high rates of COVID-19 infection. The state of Quiche, where our work takes place, is currently in Orange alert status. The capital, Santa Cruz del Quiche, has spent a lot of time in the Red status, the highest.

The CDC rates incidence of infection in Guatemala at the highest level, “Level 4: Very High”. This is probably due to reduction of virus mitigation measures over the last few months.

Status as of May 21, 2021

Many restrictions lifted

The Guatemalan government’s mandatory curfew was lifted on September 30. There are no restrictions on intercity or interstate travel. The Government of Guatemala announced January 25 the following changes to the operating hours of commercial establishments;

Public markets may operate from 5AM to 5PM daily
Retail establishments, including shopping malls, stores and supermarkets may operate until 7PM daily
Bars, restaurants and night clubs may operate until 9PM daily

Impact on Education

This is the only area in Guatemala still significantly affected by restrictions. In Red alert status, in-person schooling is not permitted. Until recently, students from rural communities at the Orange level attended in-person classes twice a week. That changed when the government decided that that should not be allowed at the Orange level either. So remote learning will continue for most institutions in 2021 as long as high infection rates persist.

Vaccination update

The Government of Guatemala received its first delivery of vaccine doses in February. Priority will be given to healthcare workers, first responders, and vulnerable populations. Volunteer firemen/paramedics and health care workers are currently being vaccinated.

Guatemala is receiving vaccines through COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), a global platform to support the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. It was launched in April 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). COVAX seeks to solve the problem of the unequal global distribution of vaccines.

81,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine are the first of a total of 6.6 million doses that Guatemala expects to receive this year through COVAX, to reach its goal of immunizing 20% of the population.

On May 4, the country began Phase 2 vaccinations, which include individuals in the 65+ age range. They are hoping to open that to 60+ soon.

When can our groups safely return to Guatemala?

Unlike many countries at the moment, the only entry requirements for Guatemala is a negative COVID-19 test within a certain timeframe. So the bar is low, and just about anyone can go to Guatemala right now if they want to. But the question is, should we?

The Guatemalan government appears to have pretty much given up on any sort of pandemic mitigation effort. In our opinion, that puts the responsibility squarely on visitors -- i.e., is traveling down there right now worth the risk of transmitting the virus to people that have become like family to us? The population we work with is especially vulnerable due to poor health and nutrition, basic living conditions, and almost nonexistent healthcare. It doesn't seem worth the risk, especially since we're currently getting our work done without putting people at risk.

Travel, especially international travel, was a key mechanism responsible for the rapid global spread of this virus. Our current thinking is that a bare minimum requirement for a team to return to Guatemala is that everyone be fully vaccinated at least a month prior to departure. There are still a lot of question marks.

2020: Year in Pictures

12/30/2020

Update on Guatemala Travel Restrictions

9/11/2020

From the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala:
Message for U.S. Citizens: Health Alert (8 September, 2020)

The Guatemalan government has extended the state of emergency until October 5 due to COVID-19.
The Guatemalan government’s mandatory curfew remains in effect, running 9:00 p.m. each evening through 4:00 a.m. the following day.
The department of Quiche is currently at maximum (red) alert level, with corresponding restrictions on movement and activities.
The Guatemala City airport will re-open to commercial passenger flights September 18, with health protocols in effect for the screening of arriving and departing passengers.
The Government of Guatemala has mandated that passengers entering Guatemala by air either present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued no earlier than 72 hours prior to the flight, or quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health.
The Guatemalan government is currently barring entry to most non-Guatemalans.
On August 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of State issued a level 4 travel advisory of "Do Not Travel" due to COVID-19.

Guatemala Education Update: September, 2020

9/1/2020

by Lesly Ely

Lemoa scholarship student

As students in the U.S. return to school, we wanted to give you an update on the status of our students as they are nearing the end of a challenging school year.

Since April, students in rural schools have been doing their schoolwork at home. Parents of elementary school students go in person to the school once a week to get new assignments and a small bag of food for student lunches. The government of Guatemala has been providing this food, and now they are giving fruit or vegetables for each student.

Intermediate level students do their homework via the Internet or television. They do not receive food. Most of them have a cell phone and access to WhatsApp, and receive and deliver their assignments this way.

The president of Guatemala recently announced that there will be not yet be any scheduled international air service -- only private flights. They are trying to decide when international tourism can be reopened. Currently, they are asking for a letter for each person who enters the country saying that a coronovirus test was done and is negative. At this point, it is not known when commercial flights will resume.

The good news is that students in our scholarship program have not experienced any cases of the virus. In the communities, people are being very careful and they hardly go out to avoid contact. A month ago restaurants and some shops were reopened, so there is a little more income for families, except for those that make embroidery and fabrics and sell them to tourism. This is the main economic income for families in our program villages.

The Guatemalan school year ends in October, and it has been decided that students will finish classes from home. The government has not yet decided if in-person schooling will reopen in January, 2021.

Our Guatemalan staff members are very grateful for the monetary support that is being sent to the students and the bags of food that have been distributed, which has given a lot of relief and joy to families in our program.

Sister Connie, 1935 - 2020

5/22/2020

by Mark Ely

Photos of Sister Connie from 2005+

We are deeply saddened to hear of the unexpected passing of Sister Connie of the Maryknoll Contemplative Community in Lemoa, Guatemala. Connie was a source of inspiration and hope to countless people in both Guatemala and the United States. Her incredibly generous and ecumenical spirit will be missed profoundly.

Connie lived life on her own terms, and those terms were tough. She had strong opinions and delivered them in an even stronger Bronx accent. She had no patience for greed and corruption. She felt that change in Guatemala was only going to come from the bottom up.

Sister Connie in November, 2018.

Unlike many opinionated people, she put her money where her mouth was. She dedicated her life to helping those in extreme need. And she got a lot done.

She was building homes for poor families in Lemoa long before we started, and our own home-building program was based on her work up to that point. She knew widows and orphans from the civil war, and always had a list of the neediest. She put us in contact with local leadership to help identify schools that needed better facilities. More recently, she helped start a nutrition program in Lemoa which is doing great work.

I consider myself fortunate to have spent so much time in Connie's company. She was one of those rare people who change the course of your life without you knowing it. I will miss her deeply.

Biography

Constance Pospisil joined the Maryknoll order on February 12, 1957, as a nurse from Rockville Centre, N.Y. She began work in Chile in 1961 in clinics and in community-based health education programs. In 1982 she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in New York. In 1989 Sister Connie was assigned to Brazil, where she worked to establish a health center for women on the northeast coast. Sister Connie joined the Maryknoll Contemplative Community in Lemoa, Guatemala in 2004, where with Sister Helen Werner she maintained a prayer presence. She also started a number of initiatives to help community members improve their lives. Connie was a board member of our local Pura Vida NGO in Guatemala.

[ Photos of Sister Connie from 2005+ ]

Life Under Lockdown -- April 12, 2020

4/12/2020

by Mark Ely, Executive Director

A look at how our students and their families are handling the COVID-19 crisis.

Jaime teaching his parents to play chess

Jaime and his family are currently sheltering at home. His father is working, since he is a baker and it is a daily consumer product. They go to work with the necessary sanitary measures and they return before the curfew. They have more time to share, they do some family activities such as tidying up the house, sweeping, and playing. Likewise, Jaime is studying via virtual platform, and is making the most of his time so that he is able to resume classes without delay when they resume.

Angélica's family. She's the tall one.

Angélica's father is only able to work half a day due to the curfew. The members of the family are sheltered in their home. The children are helping the mother to clean the house, wash the dishes, collect reeds in the grove, among other activities. Before the suspension of classes, Angélica was doing her teaching practice in a small rural school. To take advantage of the free time, she is working on the materials she will use when classes resume.

María has been helping her mother around the house and reading to her little brother. Her father is a tailor who makes traditional clothing. He still works during the week, but the demand for these products has decreased. Due to lack of transportation, he goes to his workplace by foot.

María reading to her brother

Helping with the laundry

Marta studying

Her mother weaving

Things are complicated for Marta and her mother. Government restrictions and a fall in demand resulted in the shutdown of the cooperative where Marta's mother sells her woven reeds. For the moment they are staying at home, safeguarding the health of the family. Marta is keeping up with her school work. Her mother is still weaving reeds with hopes that they will soon be back in demand.

Related news: COVID-19 in Guatemala -- April 12, 2020

COVID-19 in Guatemala -- April 12, 2020

4/12/2020

by Mark Ely, Executive Director

We have been closely monitoring the impact of the new coronavirus on our partner communities in Guatemala. Families are concerned about the situation, and the government has taken measures to avoid the spread of the virus in the country. At this time, families are sheltering in their homes.

Pura Vida student Diego and his family shelling corn while sheltering in place

The president of Guatemala has declared a state of emergency including the following measures:

Limitations on free movement
Prohibitions of large gatherings
Suspensions of public shows and any kind of meetings
Limitations on the circulation of urban and extra-urban transport

Families must remain in their homes except for trips to buy food and essential supplies. Making the situation more difficult, markets are open only from 4:00 AM to 12:00 PM by order of the government. Since public transport has been suspended, it is difficult for rural residents to reach major markets unless they have their own means of transportation.

Since the arrival of the virus, many companies have closed. Those remaining open for business must follow sanitary measures stipulated by the government to protect their customers. Transportation companies were hit hard, with about 2,000 bus drivers and assistants losing their jobs as a result of the imposed sanitary measures.

On March 22, the federal government declared a curfew from 4:00 PM to 4:00 AM, during which time absolutely no one can be outside their home, on the streets, or somewhere in public. Violators can be detained, fined, or even sent to prison. Experts are currently recommending that the curfew be maintained through the end of April.

The Minister of Education suspended classes for the month of April. Some public and private establishments are distributing homework through virtual platforms so that students can take advantage of time at home, and then turn in the tasks done when classes resume. Many students in rural communities are taking advantage of classes provided by radio and television.

In rural communities, the indigenous leadership has established measures restricting access. For those arriving with cargo, drivers must use masks and must disinfect their vehicle in order to prevent the virus from entering the communities.

Price of some commodities has increased due to the crisis, most notably corn.

Related News: Life Under Lockdown -- April 12, 2020

English Immersion Camp 2019

7/30/2019

By JoAnn Vogt

On June 28, thirteen Coloradans – a mixed bag of newbies and experienced Guatemala hands, teenagers and old folks, Methodists and Presbyterians, Spanish speakers and not-so-much – flew off to Houston to join two Wisconsinites for the journey to the highlands of western Guatemala. During our week at the English language camp in Lemoa, we came to bond with one another and to appreciate a beautiful part of the world.

But most of all, we came to love our schoolchildren. They ranged from fourth graders to ninth graders and had varying levels of competency in English. They were eager and enthusiastic, and we all hoped they were learning as much from us as we learned from them. They patiently tried to teach us K'iche' words and didn’t giggle more than necessary at our pronunciation. Our three teenage team members each had an adoring following, and even we old abuelas and abuelos got hugs – something I never received from my undergraduate German students back in the day.

We got in some exploring at the beginning and the end of the camp. Throughout, we were lucky to have the talented and affable Nacho (a/k/a King of the Road) as our driver, and to have Raúl as our translator (and as our future criminal defense lawyer, should we find ourselves in trouble in Guatemala).

Things I learned: (1) TSA at DIA has a problem with tuna cans in carry-on bags; (2) “don’t flush paper down the toilet” means just that; (3) loud booms at 4:30 a.m. do not necessarily mean war if you’re in Chichicastenango and it’s St. Thomas’s day; (4) the next physician accompanying a group should probably leave the surgical scissors at home (the security personnel at the Guatemala City airport were underwhelmed with Terry’s attempt to demonstrate their lack of sharpness by poking himself in the arm).

Thank you, Pura Vida, for giving us this life-changing experience, and thank you for what you do for the children of Guatemala. I see their country’s future in their faces.

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